Some considerations on soil biodiversity.

Dear readers, one of the environmental components directly affected in agricultural systems has been the edaphic biota, which is of great importance due to its participation in the processes of decomposition and mineralization of organic matter and in the improvement of soil structure. In this sense, Cabreara and Crespo (2001), state that the activity of the edaphic fauna significantly accelerates the nutrient recycling process in the ecosystem, making these nutrients rapidly available to plants.

According to the functionality of soil biota in the decomposition process, Sanchez (2008) mentions that soil fauna is grouped into decomposers and detritivores, decomposers are bacteria and fungi that participate in the early stages of decomposition and consume mainly sugars and amino acids; As decomposition progresses, the same author mentions that specialized septate fungi, such as Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Actinomycetes, which can degrade cellulose, lignin and more complex proteins, participate in the slower process.

From the above mentioned, it can be said that the soil biota is responsible for the degradation and humification of organic residues through several ways, in this sense, it is clear the role played by some soil organisms in the ecosystem, among these organisms are earthworms that are the most efficient invertebrates to improve soil properties as they are able to build galleries that favor the penetration of water and air, regulate the porosity of the soil thus avoiding soil compaction.

When considering the importance of soil biodiversity, it is necessary to point out that there are conventional techniques for production, such as excessive tillage of soils, which influences the reduction of earthworm populations by drying the soil, burying the plant residues on which they feed, destroying the vertical tunnels and causing physical damage to the earthworm. Sullivan (2007) mentions that tillage can reduce the level of organic matter in cultivated land to less than 1%, making it biologically dead.

Dear readers, the good use of agroecosystem components is essential to maintain active the soil biota in charge of producing essential nutrients for plants as well as to improve soil structure to improve aeration, without any doubt we must move towards a sustainable development of livestock and agriculture.

-Cabrera, G. and Crespo, G. (2001). Influence of edaphic biota on soil fertility in the grassland ecosystem. Cuban journal of agricultural science. Vol. 35 (1) p 3-9.

- Sánchez, S. (2008). Biotic and abiotic factors influencing litter composition in grassland. Journal of pastures and forages. Vol. 31 (2), p 99-118.

- Sullivan, P. Sustainable soil management online NCAT, 2007. Available at: http://www.agroeco.org/socla/archivospdf/Manejo_sostenibel_de_suelos.pdf [Accessed: August, 2021].